The present invention relates to an electrical connector to be connected to a flat conductive member. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical connector to be mounted on a mounting surface of an electrical circuit board, so that the electrical connector is connected to the flat conductive member.
A conventional electrical connector is configured such that a flat conductive member is inserted into the conventional electrical connector. The flat conductive member is provided with an electrical circuit portion at a front edge portion thereof. Accordingly, when the flat conductive member is inserted into the conventional electrical connector, the electrical circuit portion at the front edge of the flat conductive member is connected to a terminal of the conventional electrical connector with a contact pressure. Further, the conventional electrical connector is configured such that the flat conductive member does not easily come off from the conventional electrical connector.
Patent Reference has disclosed the conventional electrical connector to be connected to the flat conductive member. The flat conductive member is inserted into a housing of the conventional electrical connector such that a surface of the front edge portion of the flat conductive member is aligned in parallel to a mounting surface of the electrical circuit board. The conventional electrical connector includes a supporting metal member and a locking portion disposed on the supporting member. The locking portion is configured to elastically deform. Further, the flat conductive member includes an engaging portion having a cut shape. When the flat conductive member is inserted into the conventional electrical connector, the locking portion engages with the engaging portion, so that the flat conductive member does not come off from the conventional electrical connector.
Patent Reference: Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-119162
In the conventional electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, the supporting metal member is formed of a metal plate bent in a thickness direction thereof. The supporting metal member is arranged such that a width direction thereof is aligned with a terminal arrangement direction of the conventional electrical connector. Further, the supporting metal member is held with the housing of the conventional electrical connector.
In the conventional electrical connector disclosed in Patent Reference, the supporting metal member includes an electrical circuit board attaching portion at a most outside position thereof in the terminal arrangement direction of the conventional electrical connector. The electrical circuit board attaching portion is formed in a leg shape and is configured to protrude outwardly. The electrical circuit board attaching portion is mounted on and held with the electrical circuit board with solder. Further, the supporting metal member includes the locking portion, a lock releasing portion, and a cut portion. The cut portion is configured such that the lock releasing portion can be operated. The supporting metal member is disposed at both end portions of the conventional electrical connector in the terminal arrangement direction.
In the conventional electrical connector, the locking portion is formed of a plate member extending in the terminal arrangement direction and a pulling and inserting direction of the flat conductive member. Further, the locking portion is configured to elastically deform in a thickness direction thereof, that is, a vertical direction. The locking portion includes an engaging section at an end portion thereof in the terminal arrangement direction. The engaging section is formed in a triangular shape, and is bent upwardly.
In the conventional electrical connector, the engaging section is formed in a saw shape having an inclined surface and an engaging edge portion. The inclined surface is formed to incline upwardly toward the inserting direction, so that the inclined surface can guide the flat conductive member. The engaging edge portion is disposed at a front edge portion of the inclined surface, and is configured to extend in a direction perpendicular to the inserting direction.
In the conventional electrical connector, when the flat conductive member is inserted into the conventional electrical connector, the engaging section receives an insertion force at the inclined surface thereof from a lower surface of the flat conductive member. Accordingly, the locking portion is elastically deformed downwardly, so that the flat conductive member can be further inserted. When the flat conductive member is inserted up to a specific position, the engaging portion of the flat conductive member with the cut shape is moved over the inclined surface. Accordingly, the locking portion is restored from the elastically deformed state to a free state. As a result, the engaging portion of the flat conductive member engages with the engaging edge portion formed at the front edge portion of the engaging section, so that the flat conductive member does not come off from the conventional electrical connector.
As described above, in the conventional electrical connector, when the flat conductive member is inserted into the conventional electrical connector up to the specific position, the engaging portion of the flat conductive member automatically engages with the section of the locking portion, so that the flat conductive member does not come off from the conventional electrical connector.
In the conventional electrical connector, the lock releasing portion is disposed in the cut portion of the locking portion for releasing the flat conductive member from the conventional electrical connector. The lock releasing portion is configured to protrude from an upper surface of the locking portion. The cut portion is arranged to guide the lock releasing portion in the vertical direction while the cut portion is restricting the lock releasing portion from moving in the lateral direction.
In the conventional electrical connector, when the flat conductive member is disengaged from the locking portion, the upper surface of the lock releasing portion is pushed downwardly. Accordingly, the lock releasing portion is moved downwardly, and the upper surface of the locking portion is elastically deformed downwardly. As a result, the engaging section of the locking portion is disengaged from the engaging portion of the flat conductive member, so that the flat conductive member can be pulled out from the conventional electrical connector.
As described above, in the conventional electrical connector, the supporting metal member includes the electrical circuit board attaching portion protruding outwardly in the terminal arrangement direction of the conventional electrical connector. Accordingly, it is possible to securely attach the conventional electrical connector to the electrical circuit board. On the other hand, it is difficult to reduce a size of the conventional electrical connector in the terminal arrangement direction thereof.
Further, in the conventional electrical connector, the supporting metal member includes the cut portion for guiding the lock releasing portion. The cut portion of the supporting metal member tends to extend further in the terminal arrangement direction of the conventional electrical connector. Therefore, it is further difficult to reduce the size of the conventional electrical connector in the terminal arrangement direction thereof. Moreover, the supporting metal member is disposed on the both end portions of the conventional electrical connector. Accordingly, the size of the conventional electrical connector in the terminal arrangement direction thereof tends to increase further.
In general, in the conventional electrical connector, the terminals are arranged in a small arrangement pitch, that is, more densely to reduce the size of the conventional electrical connector. However, when the conventional electrical connector includes the locking portion described above, the size of the conventional electrical connector in the terminal arrangement direction thereof tends to increase. Accordingly, it is difficult to reduce the size of the conventional electrical connector in the terminal arrangement direction thereof.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector to be connected to the flat conductive member capable of solving the problems. In the electrical connector, it is possible to securely attach the electrical connector to the electrical circuit board, and securely prevent the flat conductive member from coming off from the electrical connector. Further, it is possible to guide and restrict the flat conductive member, and to reduce a size of the electrical connector in the terminal arrangement direction thereof.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the present invention.